The medal's obverse bears portrait of Theodore Roosevelt, facing left; at left, anchor within wreath and scrollwork. Across, THEODORE / ROOSEVELT / PRESIDENT / OF THE / UNITED / STATES; signed at bottom right, BARBER
The reverse bears three ships under steam on wide ocean expanse; at left, female figure holding chart with imprinted globe; nude child figure raising flag. in exergue at right, HAMPTON · ROADS · DEC · 16 · 1907 / DEPARTURE · OF · UNITED · STATES · ATLANTIC / FLEET · ON · CRUISE · AROUND · THE · WORLD; signed at bottom left, MORGAN
By 1907, tensions between Japan and the United States were increasing. Japan had just won the war with Russia and the U.S. had acquired new territory in the Pacific as a consequence of the Spanish-American War. Neither country was interested in a war with the other and Roosevelt decided to sailt the Atlantic Fleet around the world, both as a show of strength and as a symbol of American goodwill.
On December 16, 1907 a fleet of sixteen American battleships set sail on a world cruise of friendship, diplomacy and propaganda. The flagship was the USS Connecticut, which was commanded by Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans. The battleships were painted white save for gilded scrollwork on their bows. This color scheme would later be responsible for the name "The Great White Fleet."
The plaquette was a coproduction of the two senior engravers at the U.S.Mint: Charles E. Barber and George T. Morgan. Barber designed the obverse and Morgan the reverse.
The plaquette measures 83mm x 62mm and was struck in bronze by the U.S. Mint. The mintage is not known to me.
